United Way of Genesee County closes 2013 campaign with 54,000 lives improved

Jamie Gaskin, CEO of the United Way of Genesee County, talks to people during the United Way Campaign Kickoff on Friday, August 16, 2013 in the Flat Lot downtown. Michelle Tessier | MLive.com

FLINT, MI – As the 2013 United Way of Genesee County campaign
started, Executive Director Jamie Gaskin anticipated helping roughly 40,000
people with the money raised.

But he didn't expect to surpass that number by 14,000.

On Wednesday, the United Way of Genesee County announced 54,000
lives had been improved.

"We really wanted to change the way we express our success,"
Gaskin said.

This year the nonprofit raised about $3 million, which is the same as last year.

Through that money, the group had a community impact of about $9.3 million, with the United Way of Genesee County's money used to apply for other local, regional and national grants. That's about the same impact as last year.

"These funds really need to be a lever to be able to bring them into the community," Gaskin said.

While the group is focused on raising money, Gaskin said a new focus is on helping individuals.

"When we focus on the lives we help first, the dollars follow that," he said.

On top of that, the
United Way of Genesee County changed its funding mechanism to decide funding on how a program affects six
specific areas: early childhood literacy and parental involvement, after school
and mentoring, youth violence prevention, senior independence, financial
independence and education and emergency support services.

Also on Wednesday, the General Motors Foundation announced an
$85,000 grant to the United Way of Genesee County.

"This year,
the GM Foundation will provide more than $1.7 million in funding to 209 organizations
in 45 plant cities where GM employees live and work," said Lori Wingerter, vice
president of the GM Foundation, in a release. "Through this program, the GM
Foundation continues its mission to give back to the Flint community to help
those local nonprofits and organizations carry on their worthwhile work."